help with an argument..

ok , me and a mate are having an argument about who is the better guitar player.. David Gilmour or Mark knopfler,

now I think dire straits are great, and Mark Knopfler is incrediable, but I think Dave Gilmour is just that bit more better...

what do you guys think, help solve this argument.

For the record, you're not suggesting either are the 'best of all time' or anything silly like that, are you?

best of all time.... I would think they were strong contenders

Gilmour,,,,just because,,,, ok?

I'm not saying they're bad, obviously they're both great. But not greatest ever IMO.

Of the two, I'd say Knopfler

out of interest , who would you say is the greatest ever?

Does George Formby count?

Anyway, those in the know seem to think Hendix was the best ever.

Maybe, but how many funny songs about window cleaners did he ever do, eh?

Gilmour for me the solo's on time and comfortably numb are iconic
Completely different guitar styles though, so as always its down to personal taste, and whilst were on about Taste one of the best I ever saw was Rory Gallagher

It's a difficult question because how do you define best?

Best innovator? Could be Page or Hendrix.

Best performer? Probably Omar Rodrigo Lopez (Mars Volta/At The Drive in).

Technically the best? Perhaps someone like Steve Vai or Ron Thal.

Most passion? I'd say Stevie Ray Vaughan.

In the end it comes down to personal preference and I'd have to give it to Hendrix.

Ask me another day - say, when I've just listened to Since I've Been Loving You - and I'll say Page.

I believe Christ Rea and Dire Straits were combining their efforts at one point.
They were going to be called Chris Straits.

Gilmour for this arguement.

But best guitarist: Hendrix, SRV, EVH, Vai, Satriana, Santana, Kossoff, Page, Hammett, Bruce Dickinson(Little Angels). Slash, Michael Schenker, Vernon Reid, Beck, George Harrison, Paul Gilbert, Angus, Blackmore, Tremonti, Mustaine, Iommi, and May.

Some of my personal favourite I'm sure I've missed some. But the best, Hendrix number 1 the rest number 2.

It's always going to be subjective, so what you have to do is find some objective measure, e.g. how much do the 'signature' guitars go for...


Eric Clapton: $4,040 - http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/f...electric-guitar
Mark Knopfler: $1,600 - http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/f...electric-guitar
Jeff Beck: $3,560 - http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/f...electric-guitar
Rory Gallagher: $4,080 - http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/fender-custom-shop-rory-gallagher-signature-electric-guitar
Dave Gilmour: $4,280 - http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/f...electric-guitar

Which at first sight puts Mark at the bottom of the list, where he *obviously* doesn't belong... but the others have 'custom' strats available, where years of damage on their axes is lovingly replicated by cheap labour, whereas he gets only a 'signature' version. Perhaps this metric merely means that Mark looks after his guitars better!

Les Paul is the best then.

Are you kidding! You could buys house for that!

http://www.nme.com/news/jimi-hendrix--2/53884

Or Dire Rea

Keep on topic please

Am I showing my age,but I don't know who any of them are other then Hendrix .

I'll play you some next week John while we working on the car

That's because boy bands don't play any instruments other than the pink oboe
Blackmore,,,,was my favourite when I were a lad!!!!!
Angus,,,,Page,,,etc
One of the best I saw live was Garry Moore,,,,,it's a personal taste thing though

The 2 Jimmys

Jimi Hendrix
Jimmy Page

Robin Trower was pretty nifty, and Slash can play a bit but the 2 Jimmys are/were the best in my humble opinion. The list is endless though; BB King, Eric Clapton, Brian May, Pete Townsend, Steve Howe, Richie Blackmore, Robert Fripp, Angus Young, etc. Dave Gilmour is one of my all time favourites. Mr Knofler is a damn fine guitarist but doesn't float my boat.

Ok thanks.
Do I need a tattooist and body piercer ready ?

Gordon Giltrap

But for me, up there with the best is Richie Blackmore

Too right \m/ \m/

Did you forget Rory Gallagher?

Well, if it was guitar playing that I actually liked listening to, then it would have to be Johnny Marr.

Technical ability is nothing if you don't care for the music - like judging a painting by the brushwork. There's a reason why so many of the so-called great guitarists come from the same sort of era around the 70's and it's nothing to do with a glut of talent in that decade.

And just for the pure joy of listening to a guitar and player as one, then BB King. When I went to see him at the Hammersmith Odeon in the mid-80's, Eric Clapton was in the audience.

Actually, here's a challenge: who's the best guitarist who WASN'T famous during the 70's? I think the list will be about 1/10th of those above.

I did say I missed some

Exactly the point I was going to make. I have a particular taste for the Blues guitarists, their playing seems to be more of the overall "sound" than with Rock guitarists. Not to be confused with me saying I don't like Rock music or guitarists.

Some interesting ratings and comments in this list, although they are only opinion.

Love that list - kinda to the same point. Kurt Cobain is another guitarist I love to listen to because of the great riffs he came up with. And the list isn't stuck in the 70's either

Been brought up listening too these http://youtu.be/S-St7llUX2I I wonder why I'm into rock guitarists?

10 points too anyone who recognises the lead singer.

[quote=porkypaul]Been brought up listening too these http://youtu.be/S-St7llUX2I I wonder why I'm into rock guitarists?

10 points too anyone who recognises the lead singer. [/quote

Is that your dad ?

It is mate when he was a bit younger, he still plays.

Still looks the same now.

Was that taken from TOTP2 ?

No from a gig they played in Stoke that video was entered into battle of the bands on MTV back in 1983 which they won.

On topic i'd say Gilmour is better than Knopfler. As someone said earlier the solo on the Pink Floyd Pulse version of Comfortably numb would take some beating imo.

Best ever has to be Hendrix - imagine trying to play with your "wrong" had and having the guitar upside down at the same time? Yep that's how Hendrix played.......imagine how could he'd have been had he adopted a traditional style

A few others for consideration for me in more recent times, and often overlooked in these debates would be;

Richie Samboura
Eddie Van Halen
Ingwie Marmsteen
Joe Satriani

Technically the best i've seen live - John Williams

Hendrix all day.


Doesnt get any better in my eyes.

Surely should be in your ears that counts?

For me, who made me pick up a gee-tar may not necessarily be the best guitarist of all time (in the world, ever, part II), but who influence me, are;

John Squire (Stone Roses)
Charlotte Hatherley (Ash)

Almost impossible to compare. Knopfler largely plays finger style, claw hammer and Gilmour almost exclusively uses a pick. Knopfler is an excellent songwriter who also plays guitar, Gilmour is an excellent guitarist who also writes songs.

Generally speaking Gilmour is lauded for his use of tone, phrasing and space. Knopfler is more usually lauded for his songwriting, although he gets some pretty mighty tones to my ears.

I wouldn't like to call it, for me they are both exceptional and sources of inspiration but in different ways. I'd say I've been a fan of Gilmour almost as long as I can remember, and have come to Knopfler more recently, certainly largely in his solo career.

However I only own one of the guitars listed above, and it isn't Knopflers

No it's his mum; Jena Aguero I think...

Albert lee,. Alvin lee, jan Ackerman, Peter green

Just to update this, Rolling Stone Magazine has a list of the top 100 guitarists ever.

Mark Knofler 44th
Dave Gilmour 14th

No 1.... Jimi Hendrix
No 2.... Eric Clapton
No 3.... Jimmy Page

I knew I had good taste

In one of their top 100s maybe. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/...endrix-20101202

Which goes to show how subjective any "best of" list is.

Blackmore at #55

What a crap list!

So, not many Nils, Neil Young or Prince fans on here then

I must confess that Keith Richards at #4 was a trifle strange, as was Rory Gallacher and Joe Walsh at 57 and 54 respectively, behind Mick Ronson at #41

All good reading though, and voted for by their peers.......

Still can't argue with the top three though

Prince is #33

So we have managed a whole list of great guitarist and not mentioned Joe Bonamassa ?
Have a youtube at some of his stuff from the albert hall

Then again Robben Ford does not need practice (I almost gave up playing after trying to play some of his stuff!)

I do like a bit of hendrix though (the hamsters used to do a great hendrix night)

A subjective response to a subjective list

Hamsters do a really good tribute, the Aussie pink floyd do too, I also hear there's a chap called joey jordison pushing ringo for best skin basher.

God, there is nothing in the world worse than a tribute band....

I suspect that the judges might have been of a certain age. Joe can certainly play .

I'm really enjoying this thread - better than "which oil" , although maybe not as useful......

Hamsters are pretty good it's not all Hendrix saw them at Skegness butlins on festival of blues and soul, now that's a great event to have a meet last weekend of January fri to mon but only if you like loud screaming guitars it's a fab weekend

Hamsters were very good. They have split up now.... shame i have seen them at least 10 times.

If we are going to stretch this a bit more, best playing I have ever seen was Doctor Feelgood, around the top of their fame. Just a magical thing to see.

And the worst.... has already been mentioned Chris Rea... shame cos he is a nice bloke (if not a little grumpy) and he had a Caterham!